Google spreads out “fact check” to flag fake news

Apr 18, 2017, 4:02 AM EDT

(Source: Esther Vargas/flickr)

Amid mounting pressure on internet firms to curb the propagation of fake news, web giant Google recently expanded its “fact check” tool, launched last year in a few countries, to all parts of the world. With the new feature, Google will dish out search and news results with a snippet showing the actual claim, who said it and whether it is true or not.

Google is just adding the “fact check” labels to the search results and not performing the fact check itself, writes CNBC. The company is collaborating with established fact-checking organizations, like PolitiFact and Snopes, for the verification of the news.

Publishers can also participate in fact checking by adding certain codes to their websites, notes The Sydney Morning Herald. Not all results will be tagged and also there may be different conclusions presented but the feature can help users assess the degree of consensus over the veracity of news.